Pages

Friday, 10 June 2011

Glamorous Muslim Celebrities in Hollywood

Kamran Pasha–Hollywood screenwriter and author working on the NBC drama "Kings," Kamran did a Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca with his mother.

Shohreh Aghdashloo –Iranian-born actress captured critical acclaim in 2009's "The Stoning of Soraya M," and has also made a name for herself playing numerous ethnic roles in film and television, most recognizably as an undercover Muslim terrorist on FOX's "24".

Dave Chappelle –Comedian and actor of the wildly popular Comedy Central program, "The Dave Chappelle Show," who took a sudden hiatus in 2005 to reflect on his Muslim faith.

Mara Brock Akil –Successful writer and producer of such diverse shows as "The Jamie Foxx Show," "Moesha," and UPN's "Girlfriends," which began in 2000 and ran until 2008. Brock and her husband, television director Salim Akil, are Sufi Muslims. Said Taghmaoui – More widely recognized now for his recurring role in Season Five of the ABC hit drama "Lost," Taghmaoui has made his mark as an international star through playing the stereotypical role of the terrorist actor.Axis of Evil Comedy Trio – The rip-roaring comedy trio of Maz Jobrani, Ahmed Ahmed, and Aron Kader (with special guests Dean Obeidallah, Wan Ho Chung, and Nick Youssef), who made their debut on Comedy Central with a side-splitting special that showcased their particular brand of self-deprecating Middle Eastern and Muslim humor.Aasif Mandvi – Mumbai, India born actor for television and film,who has come into his own on “The Daily Show,”shamelessly drawing on his race and faith to color his brand of Middle East reporting.

Sayed Badreya – Egyptian-born actor and filmmaker who’s broken barriers for Muslims in Hollywood, being the first to actually play Muslim characters back in the 1980s and got his big break later in "The Insider," "Three Kings," "Independence Day," and "Stargate".

The Comedians of Allah Made Me Funny –Comedy trio that has been touring the country for years, Poking fun at Muslims and non-Muslims, these multi-talented comedians use their comedy to encourage people to take a new look at Muslims. Irfan Khan, Khalid Abdalla, A.R. Rahman –India's Irfan Khan, a Bollywood acting staple for a decade, has brought his star power to Hollywood with such films like "A Mighty Heart," "Slumdog Millionaire," and "The Darjeeling Express." London-bred Khalid Abdulla (of Egyptian heritage) went from a typical terrorist role in "United Airlines Flight 93" to playing the hero in "The Kite Runner." A.R. Rahman, a wildly popular, prolific, and award-winning musical composer in Bollywood, recently won an Oscar for the score he wrote for "Slumdog Millionaire."Other Muslims on the Rise in Hollywood - Faran Haroon Tahir, an American cast in two films as non-Muslim characters—a breakthrough for Muslim actors in Hollywood, recently made the move to the silver screen with roles in "Star Trek," and "Iron Man." Aziz Ansari, a hilarious comedic actor who's appeared on NBC's "Scrubs" and is starring in "Parks and Recreation, just appeared in "Funny People.